Justification:
The species is listed as Endangered. It is found in very small numbers at five localities among five islands over a total area of < 1 km2. There is a continuing decline in area of occupancy with a decline in quality and extent of habitat. Humans frequently visit three of the five islands, and there are permanent villages on the remaining two of the five islands (i.e.Peleliu, where most of the live snails were found - seven live individuals) and Babeldaob.

This is aminute ground-dwelling snail that was historically known from the following localities in Palau: a single locality on the island of Babeldaob (Babelthuap), a single locality on Ngemelis (subsp. babelthuapi); several localities on Peleliu (Beliliou); where a total of 82 specimens were collected by Y. Kondo in 1936 (Solem 1976) (subsp. constricta); and the island of Koror (Oreor), where it was collected at a single locality in 1936 by Y. Kondo (Solem 1976) (subsp. komakanensis). The historical geographic rangeof this specieswas less than 10 km2. The area of occupancy for this species is now thought to be <1 km2, as recent surveys yielded very few specimens from only five localities in native forest, with an area less than 1 km2.

Nineteen livesnails of this species, from five different islands, have been found in recent years. It is no longer known from the single Babeldaob locality, nor Ngemelis, where the species was earlier reported (Rundell 2005, R.J. Rundell 2005 unpublished data). However, three live shells were found in Ngatpang State on Babeldoab in 2003 (Rundell 2005, R.J. Rundell 2003 unpublished data). Seven live (and three dead) shells were found on the island of Beliliou in 2005 (Rundell 2010). No shells (live or dead) have been found in recent years on Koror, despite surveys on this island in 2003, 2005 and 2007 (R.J. Rundell 2007 unpublished data, Rundell 2005 and 2010). Two live shells were found on Ngeruktabel in 2003 (Rundell 2005, R.J. Rundell 2003 unpublished data). In 2005, five live shells were found on Omekang, and 2 live shells were found on Ulong (Rundell 2010, Rundell 2005, unpublished data).

Despite the fact that live snails of this species have been found on five different islands, the main concern is that the number of live snails on these islands appears to be very low, particularly in comparison with historical records. For example, on Peliliou, 82 live specimens were collected by Y. Kondo in 1936 (Solem 1976), but recently only seven live snails were found on this island. The species is presumed extinct from Koror (the most heavily populated island), based on recent surveys (e.g.Rundell 2010, Rundell 2007 unpublished data). The main concern for the species on the island of Babeldaob is that only three live specimens have been found, despite the fact that this large island has been widely surveyed for land snails (e.g.Rundell 2010). Additionally, Babeldaob’s native forest is highly threatened by development (e.g.due to the recent completion of the Compact Road).

This species is threatened by destruction and modification of native lowland forest. This threat is imminent on the island of Babeldaob, which is currently undergoing significant change due in part to the completion of the paved Compact Road around the island, which is facilitating development of previously remote locations (Cowie et al.1996). It is also perhaps not surprising that the overall area of occupancy of the species has been greatly reduced since World War II, when much ofPeleliu’s forest was for example decimated by flamethrowers (Hinz 1995, Crombie and Pregill 1999). Disruption of the ground, rocks and leaf litter may be of particular significance to this and other endodontid species. Endodontoid land snails are among the most threatened land snails on Pacific Islands in the few places where they still exist (Solem 1983).